V. I. Lenin

Outline ProgrammeFor Peace Negotiations[1]

Written:27 November, 1917First Published:1929 inLenin
      Miscellany XI.Published according to the manuscript.Source:Lenin’sCollected
      Works, Progress Publishers, Moscow, Volume 26, 1972,
      pp. 349-350Translated:Yuri Sdobnikov and George
      Hanna, Edited by George HannaTranscription & HTML Markup:Charles
      Farrell and David WaltersOnline Version:Lenin Internet ArchiveNovember,
      2000

(1) The talks shall be political and economic.

(2) The main theme of the political talks
    and the basic principle shall be: “No annexations or
    indemnities”.

(3) Concept of annexation:

(a) non-acceptability of the definition of
    annexation as lands integrated after the proclamation of the
    present war.[The definition of annexation
    under which only lands integrated after the proclamation of the
    war are regarded as annexed is rejected.]

(b) any territory shall be deemed to be
    annexed whose population, over the last few decades (since the
    second half of the 19th century), has expressed dissatisfaction
    with the integration of their territory into another state, or its
    status in the state, regardless of whether such dissatisfaction
    has been expressed in writings, decisions of meetings, assemblies,
    municipal councils and similar institutions, in state and
    diplomatic acts, arising from the national movement in these
    territories, in national friction, clashes, disturbances, etc.133

(1) Official recognition for each
    (non-sovereign) nation, which is part of a given belligerent
    country, of the right to free self-determination, including
    secession and formation of an independent state; (2) the right to
    self-determination shall be realised through a referendum of the
    whole population of the territory seeking self-determination; (3)
    the geographical boundaries of the territory seeking
    self-determination shall be established by democratically elected
    representatives of the territory and contiguous territories; (4)
    preliminary conditions guaranteeing the exercise of the right of
    nations to free self-determination:

(a) withdrawal of troops from the
    territory seeking self-determination;

(b) return to the territory of refugees
    and inhabitants expelled by the authorities since the outbreak of
    war;

(c) establishment in the given territory
    of a caretaker administration consisting of democratically elected
    representatives of the nation seeking self-determination, with the
    right (among others) of implementing Clause (b);

(d) establishment under the caretaker
    administration of commissions of the contracting parties with the
    right of reciprocal control;

(e) the expenditure on implementing
    Clauses (b) and (c) shall be covered from a special fund set up by
    the occupying party.

[1]Written , it would appear, in connection with the discussion by
      the Soviet Government on November 27 (December 10), 1917, of
      instructions to the Soviet delegation empowered to negotiate a
      peace with Germany at the peace conference at Brest-Litovsk. The
      government decision on this question said: 'Instruction on the
      Talks, on the Basis of the Decree on Peace."

The peace conference opened on December 9 (22),
    1917, and was attended by the Soviet delegation and those of the
    Quadruple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and
    Turkey). At the first sitting tire Soviet delegation read out a
    declaration on the peace terms. The other side appeared to agree
    to conduct the talks on these terms, but in fact this preliminary
    period already revealed Germany's annexationist intentions. On
    January 5 (18), the delegates of the Quadruple Alliance made known
    their govern-merits' territorial claims to the Soviet
    delegation. This included a part of Russia which was to be ceded
    to Germany and Austria-Hungary (a territory of more than 150,000
    square kilometers):

      Poland, Lithuania , a part of Estonia and Latvia, and also
      sizable areas inhabited by Ukrainians and Byelorussians.